Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Mark Roffe
Date: 10 Jun 99 - 08:55 PM

Jeri and Penny, thanks for explaining that spit & image thing. I'll check out that site and that dictionary.

Bert, I agree with you on that one. One of my favorite community radio stations has this guy who is very knowledgable about nuclear energy and nuclear weapons, but he always says "nuke-u-ler" which makes him lose credibility.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Bill D
Date: 10 Jun 99 - 10:32 PM

ok, folks..especially those in England and Australia, help me out on this one....every now & then I hear someone say, in order to express absolute agreement with you...

"fuckin' A" (long "A' sound)...but 30 years ago, the first time I ever heard it, it was "fuckin AYE" ..meaning 'absolutely YES'...

now- am I right that the ignorant have seen 'aye' in print and could not pronounce it, and so corrupted it? Who knows anything or the origin? (sounds veddy British or Aussie, to me)

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From:
Date: 10 Jun 99 - 11:15 PM

I've said that for years; who knew?

Nancy

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 12:27 AM

In Denver, we have a local diamond seller named Tom Shane who prides himself on his knowledge of all forms of jewelry, but he pronounces it "joo-la-ree." Drives me crazy...

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 02:26 AM

Here's one that really fits this thread, because it's almost universally used: Parameter for perimeter (we're talking boundary or limit, right?) --seed

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Barbara
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 02:49 AM

LEJ, If that Tom Shane dude lives in Denver, then he ships his monotone commercials to Portland OR, too. I used him recently as an example of someone who is really tone-deaf.
I wonder if "spit and image" has to do with how God made Adam (out of mud and spit,wasn't it?). Something of Himself, and clay?
One that bugs me is all these dang weathercasters who say either "tem-pa-chur" or "tem-per-shur". Or "ly-berry books".
I say iron "I-ern" and my daughter says "I-run". My husband's British mother pronounces "four" differently than "for".
Family reversals include the aformentioned "swell foop", "twinders bine", "poffee cot", "capsut", "Shunsine", and "Shize and rine".
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Barbara
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 02:51 AM

I forgot "bubber rands".
Sounds like a song, hey?
Bub, bub, bub, bubbubber rand,
Bub, bub, bub, bubbubber rand...
Oh, never mind.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 04:52 AM

When my cousin (at age about 15) was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up she said "I want to be a bi-lingerral secketery"..... And, my husband says he's dilexic (I think he has a point there actually).

Kris

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 08:27 AM

Not on your Nellie: this is rhyming slang, somewhat contorted. Nellie = Nellie Duff = puff (R.S.) = life; so NOYN=not on your life.

Not related to sweet F.A. = sweet Fanny Adams. F.A. was an unfortunate young woman in the last century, who was murdered, cut up into small pieces, and dumped into a river, when she was washed away and never seen again; all that remained was, well, it has the initials F.A.

Have a look at World Wide Words for some heavy-duty etymology and stuff.

The former chariman of the UK's Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) could never pronounce "nuclear", either. There are a number of shibboleths, in the original sense of the word; "athlete" is another good one. It's a problem for some people (Scots, for instance) to pronounce words where "l" follows or precedes another consonant without putting in a vowel sound (a schwa, to save anyone the trouble).

Well, I'm glad I got that off my chest!

Steve

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 08:30 AM

Oh, I forgot to ask: what are Buick's teeth like then, Margarita?

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Bert
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 08:50 AM

LEJ, in England Tom Shane would be called a jeweller and he would sell jewellery.

Bert

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Penny S.
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 12:56 PM

But I bet he would still say jewlery

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Jeremiah McCaw
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 01:21 PM

Back for a minute to mondegreens:

Guitar wiz Don Ross collects 'em. Says his favourite was when a guy came up to him & asked him if he'd do the song about the "fire engine guy". Much puzzlement. So the fellow repeated, the song about "Slow-talking Walter, the fire engine guy". Then it clicked.

Sing it with me, chilluns. Summon up Deep Purple's distorted fuzz guitar lead and sing,

"Smoke on the water, and fire in the sky"

I love hearing 'bout this stuff.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Mark Roffe
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 02:10 PM

But tell the truth now, you North Americans (of which I am one): do any of you really say "FebRUary?"
And I wonder how it's commonly pronounced in Ireland and England and Australia...

Bark

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Bert
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 02:27 PM

When I went to school in England we were taught that you don't pronounce the 'R'

Bert.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Margo
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 04:56 PM

Oh heavens. I always say FebRurary.

A Bucik's teeth are big, though not protruding.

You know what really bugs me? The chief of police in Portland Oregon speaks well: He expresses himself succinctly and with the vocabulary of a well read man. BUT, he still says Dis and Dat for this and that. Yeah, he's black. But that's no excuse. He's got to be doing it on purpose. You know what I mean, Blessings Barbara?

Margarita

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Fadac
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 05:19 PM

I was raised in Washington state. However, there it is pronounced WaRshington. Waashington (dragged out 'a' sound.) is the capital of the country. It isn't uncomon to here somebody say,

'I'm glad to be home in WaRshinton, I really don't like Waashington." But then we put our cloths into the WaRsher too.

-Fadac

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: campfire
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 08:25 PM

A woman I knew through work once told me that a friend of hers had gone to the doctor and was diagnosed with Senile Dimensions. I asked if she meant "dementia" and she insisted, no, "dimensions" -that it must have something to do with the size of her brain as she gets older.

Honest to whatever you beleive in, true story!

campfire

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Jun 99 - 06:53 PM

Well when I went to school in England it was FebRUary.

And surely "Spit and image" is sort of black magic, voodoo doll-ish

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: JOField
Date: 12 Jun 99 - 07:13 PM

Grating to my ear:

1. People who say enamored WITH [wrong]: enamored OF

2. Pronouncing mature as muh-tewer [wrong]

3. Saying EK-set-era [wrong]: etcetera

"Supposably" I find cute, because my son, now 34, used to say it when he was 9 or 10.

James.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: LEJ
Date: 12 Jun 99 - 07:27 PM

But he stopped! It wouldn't be nearly as cute coming from a 34 yr old. How about "eXpresso" or "let me AKS you a question."

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: campfire
Date: 12 Jun 99 - 08:37 PM

Isn't the "Expresso" the bus that only stops at the major intersections?

We had a pastor at our church for a while that told us to "Ax the Lord"

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Bill D
Date: 13 Jun 99 - 12:16 AM

there is a joke about the Texan who .."was driving across his 'wraynch' when his truch broke down, so he got out a 'wraynch' to fix it...but in the process he 'wraynched' his arm and got his hands dirty, so had to 'wraynch' them off with water...."

re:'wraynch'..you dont TYPE this story, you tell it...maybe there is a better spelling for this wonderful all-purpose word!

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Barbara
Date: 13 Jun 99 - 12:14 PM

Shouldn't that be "wraynch them off with wawtuh"?

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Peter Fisher
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 12:06 PM

There was a country song some time ago called "Don't it Make My Brown Eyes Blue." I caught one of my kids singing the catchy chorus as: "Donuts make my brown eyes blue."

Then there was the hit song of Kenny Rogers, Lucille. The chorus went: "You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille; four hungry children and a crop in the field." My son heard this as "Four hundred children and a crop in the field."

And my youngest one recently, on hearing that his older brother was going to the badlands of South Dakota, where rattlesnakes abound, warned him that he had better bring along a "snake bite anecdote." I suppose when your friend gets bitten by a rattler, that means the correct response is "Ah, so you've been snake bit. Did I ever tell you about the time I stepped on a six foot copper head..." blah blah blah. I suppose that might numb the pain a little.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: JOField
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 02:16 PM

Mention of that Crystal Gayle tune reminds me of one of my favorite lyrics:

i/I'd make Jack Green, Clint Black, Jim Ed Brown, and Carl Belew,

If I had Charlie's Pride, Johnnie's Cash and you./-i

[It isn't Clint Black -- he wasn't yet famous, but you get the idea.] The use of Carl Belew is brilliant.

James.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: JOField
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 02:22 PM

OK, now that I've read the thread on HTML styles, I'll stand right up and say:

Mention of that Crystal Gayle tune reminds me of one of my favorite lyrics:

I'd make Jack Green, Clint Black, Jim Ed Brown, and Carl Belew,

If I had Charlie's Pride, Johnnie's Cash and you./-i

[It isn't Clint Black -- he wasn't yet famous, but you get the idea.] The use of Carl Belew is brilliant.

James.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: The Shambles
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 02:23 PM

Going back to 'I should coco(cocoa)'..... I tend to agree that is most probably rhyming slang for 'I should think so'? Which is in fact an ironic expression or a question, meaning the opposite = I think not.

The same meaning as 'not on your Nelly(Nellie)'.

Does that make sense Bert?

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Walrus
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 02:56 PM

One phrase that I find myself using is "bog standard", but then does anyone (or did anyone ever) say "box standard"?

Walrus

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Bert
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 03:42 PM

That sound good to me, Shambles.

Bert.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Margo
Date: 15 Jun 99 - 10:52 AM

Walrus, What on earth does bog standard mean? Or Box standard, for that matter. Well, ya got yer standard bog, an' yer extra wet bog, an' yer cranberry special............

Margarita

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From:
Date: 15 Jun 99 - 01:58 PM

Margarita,

"Bog standard" is generally used for basic and/or unmodified, not customised in any way (as in straight out of the box).

Regards

Walrus.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Bert
Date: 15 Jun 99 - 02:01 PM

Straight out of the box. Glad you told us that Walrus, we call that 'vanilla'

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Margo
Date: 15 Jun 99 - 03:12 PM

Bert, is that "we" you and the people where you live, or you and your demons? :o)

Margarita

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Bert
Date: 15 Jun 99 - 03:17 PM

We at work, where we have a product (MicroStation CAD) that can be used plain or can be customized in many ways.
The term also seems to be well understood by our users. I've not spoken to one who didn't understand when asked "Are you using Vanilla MicroStation?"

Bert.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Roger the zimmer
Date: 15 Jun 99 - 03:21 PM

If they say no, they're using Blackbeard MicroStation do you suspect it's pirate software?
I always thought bog standard software was full of BS
(Roger, I won't tell you again, stop it and go to bed)
:o)

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Fadac
Date: 15 Jun 99 - 03:23 PM

Windblows, Microsnot, and remeber the little tag that says, "Intel Inside" That's a warning label.

-Fadac

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Mark Roffe
Date: 19 Jun 99 - 12:57 AM

I never felt comfortable hearing about "the latest thing to come down the pike," but I'm even more mystified by "the latest thing to come down the pipe." I'm sure the 2nd phrase is incorrect, and I'm not sure about the first one. The phrase as an old feel to it, so it's strange to think something so modern as a turnpike. Anybody?

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Obloquy67
Date: 19 Jun 99 - 01:46 AM

To go back towards the beginning... Wm. Safire says, "..."spit 'n' image". One longtime meaning of "spit" is "perfect likeness"- a child can be the very spit of his father. But some writers have mistaken the first two words in the phrase to mean "spitting", or ejection from the mouth, and prissily added the mistaken "g" to the sound of "spitt'n". Novelist Paul Theroux entitled a chapter of "Picture Palace" "A Spitting Image". From such a respected writer, one expectorates more.".

He goes on to mention out beloved Lady Mondegreen, as well as "kitten caboodle". He also explains that this "folk entymoogy" has also been called "homophone", "unwitting paranomasia", and "agnominatio". Other Mondegreens mentioned: On your market-set-go! Apache Fog Pullet Surprise next-store neighbor Notar Republic

Obloquy67 p.s. the Japanese expression for "thank you", "do itashimasite", is commonly expressed in English as "don't touch my moustache".

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Margo
Date: 19 Jun 99 - 01:58 AM

Bark Woof: Yes it is Pike. Come down the pike means to come into prominence.

From such a respected writer one expectorates more......sounds like a line that Groucho Marx would have said.

I'll never forget the Chinese translation of an American movie title: Your heart pump has wings. I wish I could remember what movie it was.

Margarita, in need of a laugh about now.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Penny S.
Date: 19 Jun 99 - 04:00 AM

The word turnpike appeared in 18th century in Britain as improving groups were set up to build toll roads. They would build a stretch of road, with tollgates, and cottages for the men who collected the tolls. This led to people trying to get round them - near here is a lane called Sparepenny Lane, which allowed travellers along the same route, but up the other side of the valley as the turnpike, hence sparing the fee. It also led to the growth of inns near the tollgates. I remember my grandfather explaining how people worked their route to market so that they could do the whole trip in one day. It meant staying at the inn close to the gate, and then going through first thing in the morning. Turnpike roads can sometimes be mistaken for Roman roads, as they were built in emulation of the earlier good roads.

Penny

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 19 Jun 99 - 04:15 AM

Turnpikes (in the UK) were authorised by statute and did not arise casually.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Penny S.
Date: 19 Jun 99 - 04:59 AM

I thought they were like tontines and other developing groups, or enclosures, requiring statute, but initiated privately....

Penny

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: lloyd61
Date: 19 Jun 99 - 06:10 AM

Big time Misprint!

"Rise Up Singing"... "Amazing Grace" page 92

Printed...When we've been here 10,000 years.

Sh/be ....When we've been there 10,000 years. (I'm not this was a misprint, I think maybe someone was trying to make a statement.)

Lloyd

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: lloyd61
Date: 19 Jun 99 - 03:49 PM

The statement should have been "I'm not sure this is a misprint."

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Jo Taylor
Date: 19 Jun 99 - 09:23 PM

My vote for worst one has to be when 'pronunciation' is said 'pronounciation'... of all the words to mispronounce.
Another pet hate - pronouncing research (the noun) as 'ree-search' although I believe this is acceptable to those of you across the oh-shun... :-}
Jo

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 20 Jun 99 - 08:19 AM

Once a mother complained that her child was on drugs. When asked what drugs she said "Peanut butter balls". Only with some work was it determined her child was taking Phenobarbitals.

Another woman was upset because her mother had died from "Smilin' Mighty Jesus." Turns out it was Spinal Meningitis.

Big RiB

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Bill D
Date: 20 Jun 99 - 01:13 PM

The Saturday Evening Post used to have semi-regular humor pieces making fun of garbled language...including Heinrich Schnibble..(who was once going to "take der bangenspitzer and geschplatten der schnortenzoomers" that were scaring his cows...but there was also this oaf..(forget his name) who would show home movies , with a running commentary..( the 'Phonecian Cow-Sway' near 'Mammy Beesh'){The Venetian Causeway near Miami Beach]...

Some of the horrific examples in the various postings above were simple due to poor enunciation ...some to lax attitudes among the listeners in not BOTHERING to look up or ask about an unfamilar word...and some to genuine real difficulties in reconciling dialects, translations, and cognates as the world has grown into a more complex place....but this forum is an amazing place which 'may' help to slow down some of the newer confusions and clear up old ones.

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: Margo
Date: 20 Jun 99 - 01:30 PM

I agree Bill. But I also wonder if it isn't also a matter of hearing problems. For example,

Last night I went to dinner and a show with my husband Jack and another couple, Mark and Stacy. Jack mentioned something about a news story about scientists finding something new about Einstein's brain (it having been preserved). After a short discussion about Einstein's brain, Mark asked if they also preserved Tesla's.

Now it was a noisy place, which might account for my mishearing Mark. But it was the look on my face that let him know I had heard wrong. When pressed, I finally admitted to hearing "Did they also preserve his testes?"

No kidding, stuff like that happens to me all the time. And I don't even play fiddle!

Margarita

Subject: RE: Misspoken, misheard, but accepted.
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 20 Jun 99 - 05:45 PM

AS I said before, folk etymology is fun. I've always assumed that the spit in spit 'n immage was a mispronunciation of spirit. But what do I know?